Wire stretcher



July 7, 1925.

E. HESS WIRE STRETCHER Filed March 24, 1925 R V.- 4 0 o. E x N 6 V W I vd EIWFQV/ a w .:.v/ r 7 A w I 2 7 w WITNESSES Patented July 7,1925%uairscfsm 1,545,325 PATENT eerie-E. l

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Application neaunareix 24, 1925. Seriarno.1 7,997;

To all cola-m it may concern. 1 1

Be it known that I, EnwAnoI-Inss, a citizen of the United'States, and aresident of Brook, in the county of Newton and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in ire Stretchers, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved wire stretcher and aims to providea device of this character which powerfully grips the wire and which maybe easily operated to stretch and properly tension the wire.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a device ofthis character and having these advantages and capacities and which isof simple and durable though light weight construction, which is easilyhandled, and wh1ch 1s easy and comparatively lnexpenslve to manufacture.

.0 Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of theconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts which will behereinafter more fully de scribed and particularly pointed out in theappended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the wire stretcher embodying thepresent inven- 7311 tion in use;

Figure 2 is a view in elevation showing the parts in full lines aspositioned prior to engaging the wire, a dotted line showing of theparts as positioned to engage a wire being shown, and

Figure 8 is a sectional View on line 8-3 of Figure 2, the parts beingshown in position to engage the wire in the section.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates a bar constituting ahandle member or lever and a mounting for the relatively fixed thoughmovable jaw 2 the latter being mounted on the forward end of the bar 1by means of pins 3 operating in slots 4; in the jaw 2. Each pin 3 hasone end riveted as at 5 to the bar 1 and has a head 6 at its other end.

One end of the bar 1 is inturned as at 7 and formed with a threadedbearing for a set screw 8 which engages the jaw 2. A lock nut 9 on thescrew 8 holds the screw in any adjustment.

At one end of the jaw 2 a concave wire engaging face 10 is formed.

A second bar or lever 1 s provided. and

is formed to constitute a co'acting handle member with respect to thehandle member 1 and also has an offset end 12 constituting a movablejaw. The movable'jaw .12 lies flush u'pagainst the bar 1 and has pin andslot connection to the'bar 1, the slot being designated at 13 and being.formed in the jaw 12 and the pin being designated at 141 and being fixedto the bar 1 and of course operating the slot 13. Preferably the pin 14is riveted to the bar 1 and is headed to hold the jaw againstdisassociation from the bar. The jaw 12 is formed with a convex wireengaging face 15 which coacts with the face 10 to grip the wire.

In order to advance the jaw 12 toward the jaw 2 and thereby bring thewire engaging faces 10 and 15 into binding engagement with the wire whenthe handle or bar 11 is brought into alignment with the bar 1, a link 16is provided and has one end pivotally connected as at 17 to the bar 1and its other end pivotally connected as at 18 to the bar 11.

For the purpose of illustrating the action of the device a fence post isshown at F in Figure 1 and a wire is shown at W. In using the tool thewire is positioned between the jaws 2 and 12 with the parts arranged asshown in full lines in Figure 2 and then the lever or bar 11 is swung tothe full line position shown in Figures '1 and 3 which brings the jawsinto clamping or binding engagement with the wire W. The forward end ofthe tool is then engaged with the fence post F and serves as a fulcrumabout which the tool and particularly the handle 1 used as a lever isrocked. This stretches or elongates the wire W as shown in dotted linesin Figure 1.

I claim:

1. In a wire stretcher, a bar having one end inturned, a relativelyfixed jaw having lengthwise slots, headed pins fixed to the bar andfitted in the slots, a set screw mounted on the inturned end and engagedwith the jaw to hold the same in any adjustment, a second bar havinganoffset end providing a movable jaw, a pin and slot connection be tweenthe movable jaw and the first men tioned bar, and a link between thesecond bar and the first bar for advancing the movable jaw toward thefixed jaw.

2. In a wire stretcher, a bar having one end, inturned, a relativelyfixed jaw ha ng lengthwise slots, headed pins fixed to the bar andfitted in the slots, a set screw mounted on the inturned end and engagedwith the jaw to hold the same in any ad-' justment, a second bar havingan offset end providing a movable jaw, a pin and slot connection betweenthe movable j aw and the first mentioned bar, and a link between thesecond bar and the first bar for-advancing the movable jaw toward thefixed jaw, said fixed jaw having. a concave Wire engaging face, themovable jaw having a convex jaw engaging face. r

3. Ina wire stretcher, a bar, a relatively fixed jaw, a second barhaving an offset end providing a movable jaw, a pin and slot connectionbetween the movable jaw and the first ment'ionedbar, and a link betweenthe second bar and the first bar for advancing the movablej aw towardthe fixed jaw.

4:. In a wire stretcher, a bar, a relatively fixed jaw mounted on thebar, a second bar having a .movable jaw provided thereon, meansco-acting with the movable jaw and with the fixed jaw to constrain themovable jaw to pivotal and sliding movement relative to the first bar,and a link between the first bar and the second bar for advancing themovable jaw toward the fixed j aw when the bars are brought intoalignment.

EDWARD HESS.

